The 2024 NCAA Women’s March Madness tournament was nothing short of electrifying. While the popularity of women’s sports has been steadily growing for years, this past NCAA season served as a catalyst, propelling women’s collegiate sports to new heights.
As the fanbase for women’s sports continues to expand, what implications does this have for streaming services and marketers? The MarketCast research team delved deeper into the streaming preferences of this burgeoning fanbase.
Women’s Sports Fans Drive Surge in Streaming Service Subscriptions
Nearly every major streaming service now offers live sports, resulting in more diverse and engaged audiences.
A survey conducted by MarketCast among Men’s NCAA basketball fans and Women’s NCAA basketball fans revealed that 57% of women’s NCAA basketball fans are using streaming services to watch sports, slightly surpassing fans of men’s college hoops.
Moreover, 40% of women’s NCAA basketball fans reported subscribing to a new streaming service specifically to watch sports in the last 12 months, compared to just 28% of men’s NCAA basketball fans. This highlights the increasing significance of women’s sports on streaming platforms and its impact on acquiring new customers.
Subscribers Are Willing to Pay More for Women’s Sports
Not only are fans of women’s sports making up a larger portion of the streaming audience, but they are also willing to pay more for their content. According to MarketCast’s study, 57% of NCAA women’s basketball fans said they would be willing to spend an additional $10 to subscribe to a streaming service offering more women’s sports content, while 40% would spend up to $20 monthly. Female respondents are equally or more likely than male respondents to subscribe to streaming services featuring women’s sports content.
Women’s sports fans also exhibit higher levels of loyalty to their favorite streamers; 82% of women’s fans who subscribed to a service specifically to watch their favorite leagues and tournaments kept their subscription, compared to 76% of men’s fans.
It’s Time for Marketers to Get in the Game (the Women’s Game)
For decades, media companies and marketers have zeroed in on male audiences and male sports. But the landscape is evolving. Another recent MarketCast study reveals that fans of women’s sports are the most passionate supporters of league sponsors. An impressive 77% of National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) fans consider league sponsorship crucial—outpacing fans of any other professional leagues in the U.S.
Streaming platforms that recognize and support these dedicated fans stand to not only expand their subscriber base, but also build enduring loyalty and sustained growth. The future of sports streaming is bright—embracing fans of women’s sports is a game-changing move.